Ancient, Celtic, British, Irish and World Coins, Tokens, and Historical Medals

Elizabeth II 1952 -, Trial Fifty-Pence, 1994, as currency coin (1985-1997), with portrait by Raphael David Maklouf, but of smaller size, 27.3mm, and stamped both sides royal mint trial in fields to right of bust and figure of Britannia. Somewhat scuffed, otherwise better than extremely fine, struck from polished dies and with prooflike brilliance, excessvely rare, perhaps the only example in private hands (£300-500)

This remarkable coin was given in change to the wife of the vendor at a post office in the Peterborough area early in 1998. The coin was presumably struck as a trial for the reduced size 50-Pence first introduced in 1997.